Woman shot dead by police named

Investigators have named the woman shot dead by armed police following a stand-off in a department store car park.

Ann Sanderson, 37, was killed by officers investigating reports of a woman with a gun in Sevenoaks, Kent, in the early hours of Monday.

A post-mortem examination will take place later on Tuesday, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) said.

On Tuesday IPCC officers were continuing their investigation into the shooting, led by deputy senior investigator Bill Stone.

Forensic experts have been combing the car park of M & Co, a department store based in the High Street. A single, anonymous floral tribute was left at the spot where Ms Sanderson, of Bethel Road, Sevenoaks, died.

The IPCC said a firearm was recovered at the scene, but would not comment further on exactly what it was.

However, a police officer was seen carrying what looked like a cartridge of plastic toy gun pellets in a transparent evidence bag away from the scene on Monday.

The small ball-shaped pellets are commonly used in guns known as BB guns, which are often extremely realistic.

Prior to the shooting, the only woman to have been shot dead by police since 1980 was 16-year-old Gail Kinchin.

She was accidentally killed that year by West Midlands police while she was being held hostage.